At least its not a cold sore cause that would be worse.

So I went to Chips. He's my best friend here. We danced too close, and he scraped some skin off my nose. It started bleeding on the spot. I had to walk around the party with a piece of toilet paper on my nose to stop the bleeding...for about 45 minutes. So here is my face with the wound, 4 days later. No wonder i don't feel cute....I hate to disappoint all my AZ fans, but hopefully the healing will come to pass. quickly.

My friend Beth wanted to see me with black hair.

So i need a change. And I will do whatever the commenters want, so leave a comment, with your vote. I get my hair done and i will either go Red, Dark Brown or Blond. And I will go all the way with it, and post pics after, i think my apt. is Wed. but it could be monday, so post your preference.

The best 3 weeks of my life.

So it's on. Studying. every free minute is filled with listening to law on tape, looking at flashcards or meeting with study groups...this is the world series of law school. We gotta show off what we have been training to do all semester. May i thrive. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

XOXO.

Love being an aunt.

I don't know about you...but i love being an aunt. Livy can now say lots of things including "dodie" and "jojo". It is so much fun to be home and get to spend time with them. I do get to do ichat with Livy and it is always so much fun. More fun in real life.

Gibson is the cutest little guy. He is so smilie, squealie and just pure awesomeness. Already is cute personality is coming through. I also get to do Ichat with Gibby and i love that he laughs and smiles almost the whole way through.

It is fitting that i would use my mac to take pics with my niece and nephew... because that is our main connection to each other when i am away.

A random mix of pictures from the last 2 and half years. I love it.

So i can't sleep... so i decided to upload some of my favorite pictures. Some you have seen and some you haven't. But they are all a good time. Tell me which picture is your favorite.

Jenifer (the only one who truly understands me, or close to it)

Tonight i was talking to Jen and we laugh at our situations. Here we are both going back to school, but the similarities don't end there.

1. Jen and I ran CC and Track in HighSchool.

2. We were in the MTC at the same time.

3. Our Moms lived in the same city and attended the same Branch in Iran when there dads were college professors over there. Jen's mom was in college. My mom was in highschool

4. We have both made out with Ken CHECKETTS (yeah K.C you are back on the blog...side note, when Ken was persistently persuing my other best friend Amy, i posted his name on our 'Not private' blog site, stating that it would be so awesome for my best friend Amy and i to kiss the same dude.... he googled his name and said we had to remove it... he told amy that my posting his name on the blog bordered on defamation, well Ken Checketts I am in Law School and i learned about defamation and you would not have a case).

5. We lived in the same blue condos by ASU.

6. We both taught for Higley, well Jen is a counselor at Gateway Elementary and I was an English Teacher at Gateway.

7. We are both going back to school. Jen to be a nurse, and me obviously to become a district attorney (i think Gateway Elementary is the gateway to our leaving the education system and living our other dreams). I think the similarity is that we both want more from this life, and are not standing still.

8. We were in both in 3rd ward together and loved it. Jen was in University 7th until she got kicked out for being too old. I left to Moscow, where you can never get kicked out for being too old...but i lived vicariously thorugh Jen's pain of being kicked out.

9. We have both have made out with a lot of men (i am not sure who wins as far as numbers, but does it really matter at 32, everyone knows you've been around awhile).....and both didn't get our first kisses until Ricks College. Oh yeah, we both went to Ricks after H.S.

10. We both don't have long term relationships....but realize those are the key. Mine was 6 months with Reggie (Bless his soul, he didn't die, i just hold a special place in my heart for him loving me all those long months, those extra 2 months that other men have not been able to endure...) and Jen's is with her current on again/off again man right now.

11. We both bought condos during the peak of the market. Her's has retained it's value because the condo was new when she bought it. My condo was like 31 years old when i bought it. So not so much value is retained.

12. We both love to talk about how it really is a miracle that we are still on the singles scene. Nobody is as great at pondering the improbability of the two classiest ladies Mesa has ever seen...settleing into their mid -30's alone.

As everyone else has taken the plunge and left me out here to endure the singles alone...Jen is my go to girl who knows how I feel, who refuses to give up, and makes me remember when.... and how great life is now. I love her like a sister and am grateful that she's her.

AFTERMATH...

this is hot, stylie, steal the show Rita. Who is cuter than big, loooooser, non-cute, no fashion sense, missed the boat on marriage, old jodi. (maybe it was the green flower earrings that were the kiss of death or that big glittery 30 on the top of my head...maybe it is time i stop rocking that, and then all my mormon dreams will come true??)


1. i didn't get kicked off LDS Planet yet... When the kid told me he was turning me in, i decided to send them a message as well. It said, "hey i know i swore 1x but please recognize that he was completely inappropriate as well, so if i get kicked off, you better kick him off too." I guess law school has taught me about justice.

2. My best friend up here has a subscription to LDS Planet as well. We pulled up his photos to look at him, he is the worst dresser, even was wearing Lucky Charms scrubs, and we looked at my pictures and I am stylie. So I felt better about that.

3. Best friend, who is a scriptorian, sent him a bunch of scriptures about marriage and divorce and how Jesus said, "tis better to be unmarried than to ever divorce..." or something like that. He really railed into him by using the scriptures. He won't share with me what he said, and because my best friend is a feminist, he is actually a little embarrassed that he had to protect my honor, by sending a scriptural bomb...but I love it.

4. My other best friend accidently sent the email i sent him with "the dialogue" to all these random people at the law school...which is just funny, because people are coming up and saying i am a really nice person, and dress cute.

5. it was the funniest thing that has happened on the planet for awhile. Now I just gotta study for 5 weeks and then i will be free.

Much love...thanks for the comments and responses. You guys are the best private blog readers.

Overreacting.( I use 2 profane words, and if you believe in online love...this might break your heart)

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From: BABYBUBBA09 Block this User NEW Printable View
To: STILLRUNNING
Subject: hi
Date: 2009-11-08 / 11:56 PM
okay so i hope you dont think this is really rude but I saw your pictures and noticed ur sister? is she single? I know that is really bad but I thought ur sister was really cute...if she's not its fine or if you are mad then I understand...If you are mad I do apologize in advance.


so i got this....and i said this...

From: STILLRUNNING Printable View
To: BABYBUBBA09
Subject: No Subject
Date: 2009-11-09 / 01:04 AM
Great News! This message is an ECHO!
You have contacted this member recently.

You are an asshole, and an unattractive one at that. And you have kids aka baggage, you wouldn't have a chance with me, or my little, beautiful amazing sister. Please don't ever be so insulting to any woman on this thing ever again. I see lots of super hot guys in pictures of not so hot ones, but i would never have the balls to do what you just did, and ask about them...in fact sometimes older man will send me a flirt or something and i look at the pictures and he has a super hot son....i would love to say, "hey pass me onto your son" but there is a thing called manners and tact. Hopefully your wife was the one who left your arrogant, horrible skin, not attractive self....just saying.



Yes Rita you are beautiful. And Aaron if you ever read this post, yes i am back on LDS Planet, if you don't succeed at first, and are stuck in the middle of Northern Idaho, try, try again.

So what do you think did i overreact??



oh and he said this back...

okay so first off your being reported to the adminstrator for abuse using profanity is strictly prohibited....secondly i am very good looking...me having a son is not a bad thing. Atleast I've been married. Do u think there is a reason why your 31 and never married...lets really think about who the looser is. You don't know me...you dont know what an amazing person I am. It's not my fault that I thought ur sister was cute but your not. I mean if you actually had a clue about fashion or how to dress maybe guys would actually talk to you. As the church says if your over the age of 25 and never married your just a nuisance to society....hmmm i think someone missed the boat. Don't even think that you know me or my son. I am the most humble person when it comes to dating. I dont think i'm too good for anyone, and maybe instead of being a judgemental like prick maybe you should be a lady and use some soap in that nasty mouth of yours. Grow up...your not that cute. Just cause ur sister is dont get all mad about it. I apologized ahead of time if you got mad...do u think an ignorant guy would apologize ahead of time if you got mad...really you are the reason why older women have a bad name. i hope that you get married to this guy and he treats you like a biggest piece of crap and you end up getting divorced cause he left you for his secretary...then you will know how you treat others.

My favorite part is he blocked me, after this...sorry i said asshole and balls everyone. I guess if i dressed better... all my mormon dreams would come true. Shoot now i know the secret.

much love...jodi

Halloween.

So i didn't dress up. But i went to Wingers with friends, had a date to San Miguels(was it a date, either way thanks Brandon), watched sports with some law students, went to a house party, walked around down town and went dancing at the Alley. All in all it was a good time.

Disappointment.

So I was involved in a competition with 24 of my classmates. It was a brief writing competition and then we did something called oral arguments. Basically we discuss our side with 3 judges and then the opponent discusses their side. And we get scored by the judges. Anyways, 16 of the 24 move on. So that means I just had to be a better arguer than 1/3 of the participants...

I wasn't better than 1/3.

The thing is I really don't care about the competition. I mean it's always great to be better than other people, but I suppose arguing articulately is just something i am not used to, and something I need to work on. But my pride is a little hurt, I just think of human nature and all. When i hear someone else does good or doesn't make some team, i spend maybe 3 seconds thinking about it. So I know, nobody really cares or gives it a second thought that i didn't make it to the top 16. I am just happy it's over, now i can focus on the other aspects of school, that have been suffering.

CrazyDrunkCauseNoSleeps.

Pleasy loves me, and knows i love Cheese Its.
This is my messy, messy carrel, I need to work on organization.


Ok i really wasn't crazy drunk. But people sure said i seemed to be saying funny stuff. And I would laugh out loud at my own jokes, or if i thought something funny. Why, all this no sleep maddness? Because I was doing the McNicols "in School Brief writing Competition". It was total stress. You have to research a problem, and I get a little obsessive when i am researching.

Then you have to turn all that research into a 25 page brief (well since I promised I would never lie to you, it was a 25 page limit, mine was 21 pages). Anyways, even up till the last night I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. But I actually turned in a product I am happy with. So thanks to Pleasy for the Cheese Its. Thanks to everyone else for leaving me alone when I said things like, "I can't work now" or "Don, what the hell are you talking about McNicols to me, for???". Yeah I said that. Well this weekend was super lazy. But I am refreshed and ready for a week.


Jodi's Lesson from today: don't take sleeping pills you bought at the dollar store, I slept right through Stake Conference.

Keeping my Promises.

Well, i think it was on Facebook that i promised to do the invites to the newly prvatized blog. And because i am a promise-keeping woman, i decided I'd better do it. So here was the process. I went back through a few of my old email accounts and found people who i had (almost) forgotten about, and decided they needed an invite to my blog too. Now unlike facebook, where you can have as many, "friends" as you want (currently i am an "oh-so popular lady" with 730 friends, the People of Blogger just let you add 100. So you my readers are the top 100 people who i know (or have email addresses for). My blog has been a bit lacking since i am a 2nd year law student (for those i invited who have no idea what i am up to) and it is known as the hardest semester of an already grueling 3 years of studies. Oh K, onto the blogging...

Since i titled this "keeping my promises" here are some promises i will keep.

1. I will blog at least 3, not more then 7 posts every week, so if you check up every couple days/weeks there should be some new material.

2. I promise to not just talk about being single, trying to lose weight, or rawesomeness (those have typically been the hot topics around here) but i promise not to throw them out 100 percent.

3. I promise to be a little more "colorful" with my posts. Those of you who were here when i originally started blogging, might recall I used to rock it. And i promise to bring a little bit of that back.

4. I promise to never lie about anything.

5. I promise to not let blogging get in the way of my ever interesting social life/law school career, so sadly blogging will take a back seat(although a close back seat to those 2, hey i gotta prioritize).


Thanks for your patience waiting for the invites...it really was a "hell week" with me at the lawschool, crunched over my desk, listening to instrumental music on pandora, for 12-14 hour blocks. I finally got the appellate briefs in, and on Tuesday start the Oral Arguments. This is for a 2 credit, competition. Hopefully I pass. It's pass/fail.

Since going private is a new chapter. I thought i would repost my first blog post, which was on MYSPACE.


Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Signs.....
Current mood: contemplative
Today my fish died. It was the first time i have ever owned my own pet and it died. I had just filled the bowl up with water and i think i put too much in. Anyways, i found Rusty (my rust covered beta fish,) on the floor of my kitchen. I have no idea how long he had been there; but about a half hour later i heard some flopping around. It seems that Rusty still was twitching about. It freaked me out so i texted everyone i know and no one would come to my resque. My mom said to get a cardboard piece and sort of shimmy the fish on to that. I tried it 1 hour later, and yet again rusty moved. It was tramatic. Anyways, what makes this event so important to me (besides the fact that i killed the only animal i've ever been in charge of) is that my mom gave my boyfriend and I these beta fish. They were the center piece at my brothers luncheon. Well we broke up like 2 weeks ago. These fish were our last connection, in a way i thought, "hey at least we are fish owners together". Now being the ever, "hey what is the meaning of this...." mormon girl, i had to find symbolism or something in this fish death. And I think i was like Rusty sort of. Still flopping about trying to gasp for one more bit of life out of the relationship. Even though i was the one who chose to jump out of the bowl.Well. I went to swim at my best pals house and then went to the YMCA. Hoping that when i got back to my house Rusty would stop the flopping. And be completely dead. I guess this is a sign, to stop fighting the inevitable and give into the fact that hey jumping out of the bowl has consequences. Now i gotta go get Rusty off the floor. I sort of hope one of my roomates didn't stomp on him. That sort of sucks of me, leaving him there.




Note: If you ever want to find the blog, just google thebornagainbarbie or jodiane goodman, it should come up under both. And comment if i am especially creative. Thanks.

Going Private...

I am going to make my blog private on Tuesday the 13th. If you want an invite please send me your email address to bornagainbarbie@hotmail.com or you can just leave it in the comment section. I am applying for lots of law jobs and internships and I decided that it is better to error on the side of caution. Thanks for reading... I feel like this is an end of an era, or just the beginning I guess.

Love Jodi

new stuff.

I got new stuff for free.

1. A TV, i randomly asked "does anyone an extra tv?" and wouldn't you know it someone had an extra TV.

2. The same guy who had a TV knew someone who had a DVD player. Yay!!!

That is it. Now it is time to have an invited male guest over to watch a movie...who to pick, oh who to pick...there are so many eligible bachelors in this city. I am looking forward to entertaining with my new entertainment center.

Yucky Bath.

So the Hot Water Heater at my place is full of minerals, which make my bath water this color. No I didn't pee in the bath 25 times and take a picture, no I didn't hike the Grand Canyon from Rim to Rim to Rim and then take a bath...this is just how it is, every day. When I take a shower I can't tell, but there is no denying it when it's bath time. Luckily the Hot Water Heater tank is getting flushed out this week. So no more yellow yucky water. Just sharing the loveliness I am living in. Go Moscow Water.

Just like my mom.

I always wanted to be just like my mom. I don't think she knows this because I think when i was a teenager, we fought a tremendous amount. But even when we fought I still thought she was pretty great. This is what makes my mom the best and sort of similar to me.

1. Mom got to live in foreign countries and make out with foreign men (JK about the foreign men)
Me- I went on my mission to El Salvador, and went to Europe with Jeff my bus driver mate, and I kissed a boy who was half Vietnemese once.
2. Mom was a school teacher for 8 years until I was born.
Me- I drove a school bus for 4 years and taught school for 3 years (thats almost 8 years) plus I substituted at Taft Elementary, which is the school my mom taught at her last year of teaching and when I was in her womb.
3. Mom followed her heart and married a red headed, farmer who was 4 years her junior.
Me- I only like to date men that are at least 3 years yonger than me. Just like Mom I like to rob that cradle (although 32-3=29, not too close to the cradle).
4. Mom watched her 3 sisters, including three younger than her get married and have kids before she did.
Me- I have watched 2 of my younger siblings get married and have babies, and there 2 of my 3 brothers could be getting married any day now.
5. Mom says she has never gotten in an car accident or has ever gotten a speeding ticket.
Me- I have both gotten in an accident and gotten a speeding ticket, but I drive like an old lady now that i live in a small town, just like my mom.
6. Mom likes to shop at Ross and TJ Max and is constantly looking for bargains.
Me- I love, love, love a good bargain. But sometimes too much. I remember one time I bought over 50 pairs of tights from Last Chance because they were on sale for 10 cents each. Those purple, orange, and other strange colored tights lasted for years.
7. Mom loves being a grandma more than anything. Well almost as much as being a mom.
Me- I love being an aunt more than anything. Well almost as much as I will love being a mom (someday).
8. My mom was a looker...she is still very beautiful, but man as a young woman she was a knock out.
Me- it's obvious the connection.

I love my mom, she is a kind hearted, good natured, forgiving and hard working lady who laughs alot. She is the best!!! I hope I can continue to become more like my mom.

Dave Mathews

the ticket and the rain outside the window
view of the Gorge and all the concert goers
this is a picture of me trying to make it happne with the Oregon boys (twins) when i say, "make it happen" i mean talk to them so i don't have to talk to the knitter or think about my lonliness while Dave sings "crash into me". One of the Oregon boys (not the twins) was very drunk and very crude. I kept having to say, "i am a classy lady" to remind him to keep his desires to himself
this is the gang i went with
the concert lights, lighting up the Washington sky






So this concert was a few weeks ago. But I will go through the complete narative.

Adam asked me if I wanted to go to Dave Mathews Band at the Gorge, which is a venue in Eastern Washington that is supposed to be super awesome, and for some reason, it got put on my list of things to do while i am in the inland northwest, "87. go see a concert at the Gorge". So of course, I said "Yes".

He had three extra tickets, and I was under the impression that the other two tickets would be given/purchased by someone in the law school pool. By mid summer, i knew I wanted my man to come with me, but because he would be living 8 hours away from Moscow, it would not be clear if he would be able to come. So I told Adam to make sure to save one of the tickets for me just in case, and if he couldn't come, then we would find someone else, Adam agreed.

Flash forward to the week school started. I called Adam to see if there was an extra ticket. He said, "no", he had given them to his neighbors. I had to call and tell my "friend" that there wasnt' a ticket. He broke up with me 4 days later (I don't blame the lack of ticket on the ending of our love, but...I do think Dave Mathews is pretty romantic, and it might of caused a change of heart, if he could have been there.

So I didn't want to go. I hate, hate, hate being the third wheel, or worse being the 5th wheel, when my heart is healing due to an recently ended relationship (Family think Disney Land after Aaron, Friends think Rocky Point after Cardon...nothing is more pathetic than trying to eat fish tacos at Flavio's with tears running down your sunburned cheeks or standing in the line for "Splash Mountain", sobbing on your brother's shoulder uncontrollably).

But Adam kept calling and inviting. It was Labor Day Weekend, and I thought maybe a little music would be nice. So off we went. In a tiny Tercel. While some girl in Adam's Ward who instantly annoyed me, was trying to knit. We were in a moving vehicle and I have this fear of being impailed and there she was knitting and singing to herself with the biggest knitting needle. All the while the weather is getting worse. It became clear going to an outdoor concert in the middle of a storm was the not the best idea.

So we got to the little town called George, just outside of the Gorge. We were starving. However, the Subway (the only restaurant) was closed. They were out of bread. So we ate gas station chicken strips and peanut M&M's. We drove to the Gorge, and wouldn't you know it, it started to rain. And rain hard. We sat in that Tercel for 2 hours. The longest 2 hours of my life. The knitting continued. Only now the car got humid and the windows fogged up. It was AGONY. I started to get so angry/claustrophobic. Thoughts ran through my mind..."why am i here with people I don't know/don't like", "why does that girl have to knit", "why didn't i learn my lesson after Disneyland and Rocky Pointe not to travel with heart wounds" etc. Thus, I was in the depths of feeling sorry for myself.

But then, I decided that I would have a positive attitude. And then the rain subsided. And then we found the perfect place to listen to the concert, and then the opening band was a amazing, and then I made friends with some funny drunk guys from Oregon, and then Dave came on, and then it was awesome.

I have seen the Dave Mathews Band play in Phoenix. Ryan from the kayak club invited me, and we had 5th row seats which were amazing. These seats on the grass, on the slope of the mountain were not that great. But the music was good. The company was good(besides the knitter, and we didn't really speak or sit by each other). And all in all, I was glad I went (sort of).

Bonus, the girl didn't knit, or if she did I didn't know because I slept the whole way home.

Money...

I need to find a way to make monies... the worst thing I ever did, (well i do lots of crappy things) was come to law school with debt. Car debt (but i love the Element), credit card debt, and a condo, that has turned into a money pit. All those purchases were fine on a teachers 33K a year salary. But now I gots student loan money to pay for my debts. Thats the worst...paying debt with debt. I wish I would have listened to those prophets who told me to live within my means.

On a lighter note, whenever I get depressed about finances, I just think "i kept my scholarship, I am getting school on the cheap and I have learned my lessons about money". So everyone let's listen to the prophets and get out of debt and stay out of debt. Amen.

Livy.

I miss my little niece. She is growing up so fast now and I am states away from her. I hope that Sumo and Rita are teaching her my name because I feel jealous everyone else gets to hear their name being said by this sweet little lady.

These pics were taken long ago, but i don't think Rita has ever seen them, they sure are cute huh?

What I wish I would have done differently.

You know how people say, "I wouldn't change a thing, because then I wouldn't be where I am!!!!"....

I am not one of those people.

Today, my friend Josh got a new haircut. There a bit of debate, on whether this was a buzz or a flat top or "stepping it down a level" (whatever that means). After saying it was a buzz, but then recanting and saying "it's a flat top" probably 5x too many so that Josh was mad i kept saying it. One of our friends asked me, "Jodi, have you ever wanted to shave your head?" The answer of course is absolutely. I have wanted to shave my head for years. But I kept hearing the same thing from family and friends, plus there was always this fear/belief, that if I did shave my head to a Sinead O'Connor bic-ness, the man I was meant to marry would show up and not be into the shaved hair goddess that I was. So I kept my hair a respectable length...Although I did color it every color of the rainbow, had baby bangs when my hair was blue black, got "black girl braids" in along with beads and shells woven into the synthetic hair. So I guess in those respects I have no regrets, and who knows maybe "the man that was supposed to be my husband didn't like baby bangs, or bright red highlights, but thats neither here nor there.

Point is. I really wish I could have shaved my head, it is a true sign of either not caring what people think, or dying for attention a person will do anything (i could never settle on which of these two reasons were mine). I probably would have shaved it when my mom went through Chemo, but I was a sister Missionary at the time in El Salvador and I have feeling the white handbook said something about "no extreme hair cuts." And now that my dad is losing his hair, I guess i could use that as an excuse, but I got interviews at law firms, I think they wouldn't be into a shaved head, much like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints isn't into it.



IN one of my favorite Ricks College Movies (movie's i watched during Rick's College) Empire Records, there is a line I will never forget, "I do not regret the things I have done but those I did not do". I completely agree with this...

the Love.

Thanks for the Love. I didnt' mean to come off whiny in the last post, well maybe that was my plan all along. Good news is my dad is doing great after his first Chemo treatment, which took 8 days in the hospital. He sort of set a new record for laps around the floor (the doctors told him moving around would be a good idea) so he took it to a new level, that only my dad could do. Which means walking around the hospital as many times as he could, many times a day. This makes me laugh because I can just see him walking around that hospital so many times, saying "hello" or "good morning" to everyone he saw. I love the energy, the friendliness, the spirit of my Pops.

I was sleepy after getting back into town this evening. Every part of me was saying, "go to sleep little lady...you are almost 32 so you can do whatever you want". But I had an outline due for McNicol's (an in school brief writing competition, worth 2 credits) at 10 am. So alas here I am at the law school, plugging away (well taking a break to blog)...but if my Pops can wear out the carpet in the hospital from power walking all about, I can pull an all-nighter and just get this thing done...

thanks for the inspiration Pops.

thanks for the love blog readers (friends and family). I needed you.

I suppose....

I suppose it's Ok to tell my blog readers what is really going on with me. Maybe just a little bit of truth will do my blog and my heart good.

I am nursing a bruised heart, not broken but definitely wounded. I found a love and lost him. He was a good man. And I miss him more than I expected to.

I am worried about my dad who has Lymphoma. I am worried about my mom and for the feelings she must be dealing with, for the fears that must be filling her mind, but I am also hopeful. My parents are strong both physically and mentally, but also spiritually and they will be fine.

I am apprehensive about turning 32 in a few weeks. Not the age, but that it seems after all this time, and all the relationships I have been in, I am further away from finding a man to share my life with, then I have ever been (at least the way I see it).

I am overwhelmed with school...the first few weeks I was utterly useless, and now that I have sort of snapped out of my depression/haze/numbness, I am not sure if I can accomplish all that I need to, including resume, cover letters and a writing sample posted so I can interview for jobs, the reading assignments that i skimmed or didn't do, that need to be caught up with, a huge research paper I need to complete.

I am unsure what the future holds in a way I have never been before. My world and the way I see it, has changed dramatically.

the people above me.

so i live in a basement apartment. It's actually the bottom of a big three story house. Anyways, I think my room must be just below a kitchen or living room, somewhere that gets a lot of foot traffic...because i can hear "them" above me walking and moving about...especially at 7 am...oh well. I still love my apt. Hopefully the feeling will last.

Trying to get into the swing of things....

Lately I have just not been into it. School, Life, Socializing, working out....well i take that back I am into working out. Thus i know I am not totally hopeless, just a little on the bruised side. But I have a new motivation to try to make this semester awesome, I passed the MPRE, which is the Multi State Professional Responsibility Exam. It is a requirement that was added awhile back in addition to every states Bar Exam Requirement. I took it at the beginning of Aug. in Phoenix. Just so you know, it is supposed to be pretty easy to pass, or should I say pretty hard to not pass...but you never know.

So I just gotta say I rocked it this summer. With an A- and an A in the two classes i took. In addition to the pass I got in the 1 week mediation seminar...I pretty much rocked it. So I guess I have a little push in the right direction, and the right direction is get out of law school, with a good gpa as soon as possible (DEC 2010 is the dream). So "YAY" for ME!! and "Shoot and Sorry" to everyone who didn't pass it. But thems the breaks.

Not a winner.

When i was in highschool/jr. high. I ran for and won every election. Well that is discounting when I ran for something I think was called "Fine Arts Commissioner" and lost. But I could still run for Jr. Class President, a few weeks later and did so, and won. I was Student Body Vice-President at Kino Jr. High, Sophomore Vice President, Jr. Clss President, and my senior year I was Athletics Commissioner (which meant i was on the mike for all the assemblies).

When I was at Ricks College, MCC, ASU, Ottawa and I guess i will throw in Rio Salado(although I doubt that the online campus has student government, but it's possible)I didn't want to be in Student Government, i was burnt out and just wanted to hang out with my friends and dress in cute thrift store clothes.

In Law School I got my second wind to be involved in student government. However the luck/popularity I experienced in Highschool has not transferred over to Law School. In other words I keep losing. I lost to be the president of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society (the Mormon Law Club). I lost today to be the representative for the 2L Class (really thought i had this one). I guess I am just a loser now. Thats alright, Highschool is where it really counted anyways right? At least my self esteem isn't really tied to these losses, or is it just a little... who knows. At least I don't have the inflated ego I had in High School where i thought the school "needed me and only me" to get the job done. I know the law school will be run just fine without me, and i think that is what really matters.

In Financial Troubles....and life troubles.

I forgot to fill out my fasfa, I have no more money for a few more weeks. This is the worst financial trouble I've been in for awhile. I also have alot of other stresses (much like everyone else) and i am trying to keep it all together. It's not easy. I do appreciate those who have been helping me try to keep it together. To top it all off I turn 32 this month. I didn't think I would still have so much to figure out and accomplish at 32, i foolishly thought that i would have most "life experiences" checked off the list by now, and at the very least would have found the man to share my life with...But life doesn't turn out like we thought (at least not this life). But I have learned that, "no man is an island" and I am still grateful for the love and support I am feeling from all those around me.

I found this on my friends Facebook Page. I really liked it. It was written by a black woman, they always seem to have a lot of confidence. I liked it

A Woman's Worth
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Friday, June 12, 2009 at 2:42pm
In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman he was pursuing the
question:

'What kind of man are you looking for?'

She sat quietly for a moment before looking him in the eye & asking, 'Do you really want to know?'

Reluctantly, he said, 'Yes.

She began to expound, 'If I took the attitude of a woman in this day and age, I could say I am in a position to ask a man what can you do for me that I can't do for myself? I pay my own bills. I take care of my household without the help of any man... or woman for that matter.
Nonetheless, from a different perspective, I am in the position to ask, 'What can you bring to the table?'

The man looked at her. Clearly he thought that she was referring to money.

She quickly corrected his thought and stated, 'I am not referring to money. I need something more. I need a man who is striving for excellence in every aspect of life.


He sat back in his chair, folded his arms, & asked her to explain.


She said, 'I need someone who is striving for excellence mentally because I need conversation & mental stimulation. I don't need a
simple-minded man.
I need someone who is striving for excellence spiritually because I don't need to be unequally yoked...believers mixed with unbelievers is a recipe for disaster.
I need a man who is striving for excellence financially because I don't
need a financial burden.
I need someone who is sensitive enough to understand what I go through as a woman, but strong enough to keep me grounded.
I need someone who has integrity in dealing with relationships.
Lies and game-playing are not my idea of a strong man.
I need a man who is family-oriented. One who can be the leader and provider to the lives entrusted to him by God.
I need someone whom I can respect. In order to be submissive, I must respect him.
I cannot be submissive to a man who isn't taking care of his business.
I have no problem being submissive...he just has to be worthy.
And by the way, I am not looking for him...He will find me. He will recognize himself in me. He may not be able to explain the connection, but he will always be drawn to me. God made woman to be a help-mate for man. I can't help a man if he can't help himself.


When she finished her spill, she looked at him. He sat there with a puzzled look on his face. He said, 'You are asking a lot. '
She replied, "I'm worth a lot."




"Never allow someone to
be your priority, while allowing yourself to be their option."

back to school.

School started on monday the 24th. Very overwhelming, after my lazy lazy summer. But it is good to feel productive and to get back into my "law school life". I guess I didn't realize how much i loved hanging out with my family because when i got here, i was a little lonely, and honestly still am. Same old story, everyone seems to be in couples, including my law school best friend who got married over the summer. All my good friends are far away, and obviously I miss my little niece and nephew a whole lot.

But on the bright side, I have so much to do so I guess "lonliness" is a blessing.

The Hunger Games.

So I just read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and really liked it. I started reading it last night about 10:30 and just finished it. In fact I hate to admit this but after going to three hours of church with my family, and then being asked by my cousin to go with him to Singles Ward, I took the book with me and read it during both speakers. I have never ever brought a non church book to church, so if that tells you how good it is, then take that as my recommendation. Also it is pretty action packed, keeps the reader interested and there is great character development so the reader cares about the fate of Katniss, Peeta, Rue, Thresh and the other characters. Also, the action starts right away, it isn't a boring wait for the hook. So read it. Read it for your book club, if you are going on a vaca. Get it on tape and listen in the car. It's worth it. The only problem is it is part of a three-quel so we have to wait. But the next book in the series comes out Sept. 1, so the wait will not be too long.

PS My cousin Owen read this thing through the whole family reunion. And my family is so awesome, that it must be good to keep him from all the socializing, game playing, and all around just hanging out together that reunions are famous for. So I think he is with me and approves of this review (maybe just not of throwing him under the bus for his reunion behaviors).

PPS My best Pal AK's book club read this. And the very educated woman which are members of the book club found this book very political and made some analogies to the current status of our government and the direction they are heading which is Socialism...so if you like that kind of stuff you could probably draw some parallels. And if you don't it's just a good read with out all the deep thinking.

Discipline and Socialness.

I love to see old friends, new friends. I love to hang out with my brothers and sisters and their spouses. But it seems that chilling at someones house, watching LA INK or DATING IN THE DARK (recent favorites) just don't quench our social/love of eating out thirst. Basically what i am saying, is I have friends who love to eat out, as much as I do. So when they offer, i am weak, almost spineless at declining the invitation. And I can't blame them...I might say, "Red Robin, sounds amazing...and I got a coupon". The thing is when I go to AZ I know I will eating out alot.

As much as I love to eat out, my goals of rawsomeness, weight loss and money saving are thrown out the window. I am looking forward to getting back into a routine. In Moscow I know the temptations will be real, they come in the form of China Buffet and Dairy Queen. But I know I can overcome.

Girls Night Out

We had such a good time going to see Julie and Julia, eating at Paradise Bakery and loving each others' company. I sure am surrounded by beautiful, classy ladies. Who make sure that I keep it classy.

About the movie: It definitely is on the long side. And although there are a few funny moments, it wasn't a comedy per se. Also movies are pretty expensive these days, so just wait for the Red Box.

Baby Gibson & Jodi & a Mac

He's so little, but still is like a tank. I love this little guy. The picture doesn't do him justice, he is simply adorable and awesome. I love it when he smiles and it's even cuter when he frowns. I LOVE BEING AN AUNT.

Alaska v. Arizona

I went to lunch yesterday with a friend of mine. We met because we were co-workers for Princess in Alaska. Her husband is in the military and they are now going to be in Arizona for the next few years. After over 3 years in Alaska she is definitely having a hard time adjusting. Besides the bonus of losing her "Alaska Weight" she has noticed some things she doesn't seem to love about being here. The heat, the materialism of people and just how dang spread out everything is. But she did admit there were lots of things she didn't appreciate about Alaska until they had been there for awhile.

So I decided to weigh in my Arizona vs. my Idaho.

Everyone drives fast here, really fast. All the girls are really skinny here. Really skinny. There are lots of shops, so many that i find myself wanting to go shopping. Ok thats not really true, all i want to do is go to Last Chance. And it's Hot here, really, really Hot. Also when i took the MPRE last week, which is an exam every law student has to pass. The Arizona Law kids seemed alot more arrogant than the Idaho law kids. But that could just be because i know the Idaho Law Kids. Also there are so many good restaurants here, that i find myself eating out more than usual.

But Arizona has all the people I love the most. All the friends I have known for along time and have a great time with. All of my family is here.

The point is, I love both my homes, my AZ home and my Idaho home.

JODI and OLIVA and a MAC

HOT IN THE CITY.

The recent Runners World(my favorite runners magazine) has a whole section of articles of running in the heat. With all sorts of tips like, "run in the middle of the day" and "bring water with you", or "alternate running and walking". First of all for those people not in AZ, it's hot here. But just like Northern Idaho in the winter time, you just deal with it by staying in doors almost all of the time. But some of us are not satisfied with spending all our times in doors, we must be free to run. So here is my take on 3 of the Runner's World, "running in heat(no pun intended)" tips.

Most of my daily runs start at about 7 thirty. I set my alarm for 5, then when it beeps i decide i will just turn off the alarm and rest my eyes a little longer. That little longer turns into over 2 hours. It doesn't matter how many pep talks i have given myself the night before about getting up at 5 and then maybe having a nap later in the day. I know that i will run better, faster, farther at 5, instead of 7:30, I know I will not have to put on gobs of sunscreen, but my 5 am brain refuses to be logical.

I carried water once on a run, and drank it all up the first 2 miles of 5 miles and then had water log cramps, so i am sort of gun shy about the water.

The whole idea of walk/running sort of just happens naturally. You run till you want to walk, then you walk until you realize that it's just getting exponentially hotter so you better get moving...so you run, until you want to walk...and the process repeats itself.

So thanks Runners World for the tips. But i sort of think someone has to be an idiot if they didn't think of those tips themselves. Just saying.

School Starts Today...

For my 30th Birthday my students through me a birthday party...it was a surprise. it was the nicest thing Jr. High Kids had ever done. But the good days were outnumbered by the Jr. High Maddness.


What if? What if I had been totally satisfied with being a teacher. What if Gateway Elementary (K-8) had been a great fit, and i loved it there, and i had moved out to Higley to be closer to my school, etc. etc.

Well life sends you in different directions than you originally set out in. I thought I would get a job at Mesa Public Schools as a Highschool English Teacher, CC and Track Coach and maybe have my Wedding DJ Business up and running for Friday and Saturday Nights. That sure sounds like a good plan looking back.

But....I got stuck at the Jr. High, the coaching jobs were always occupied and the Dj ing, well yeah that was good, but not as steady as i would have liked. Also I never felt that satisfaction i thought i would as an 8th grade English teacher.

My good friend Jen is now the counselor at Gateway. Today is her first day back. I remember feeling that nervousness of the new school year and hoping i liked my students, the parents were supportive and it would be a great year. Now I have the same nervousness with a new school year, but i am the student. Will I do well in the classes, find the teachers interesting, etc. etc.

Honestly, as I think back I guess I could have stuck out teaching, and all is not lost, i still have a teaching certificate, and if i can't find a law job i am sure i will go back to teaching... but I am happy where i am at. And I suppose getting stuck in the jr. high was a good thing, it sent me in a completely different direction. I can't wait to get back in school, hopfully find a law job in town and learn the law.

Family Reunion....

I just returned from a family reunion. I love being with my aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters, niece and nephew and my sweet grandparents. We ate great food, made a boxcar, played some dominoes, spread around some family gossip, and let everyone know how law school is going. The thing is at least when one single lady is in law school, people don't have to ask about one single ladies dating life, and simply ask about her studies. Thanks Law School. Much thanks to everyone who made it happen. I come from a great family.

Sick of the last post.

I know how it goes, you have your 10 favorite people in the world, but that doesn't mean they are your favorite bloggers. Sometimes blogs are boring, not frequent and without pictures...which is what mine is like now. So i appologize, but maybe this lame post will buy me a few days. Please keep me as one of your top 10's of people, even if my blog is lame.

Home to AZ.

I have been here in AZ since Wednesday night. I love being home. The first few days were hillarious. I ate Costa Vida, Crazy Sub, Rosas, Pei Wei, and Hachi Baba's. Coming back to AZ is sort of like coming off the trail (while working for Anasazi, an outdoor wilderness youth rehab type place) and being so hungry from eating only trail food that you have a list of all the things you will eat when you get home (those who have done Anasazi get this analogy perfectly). So because AZ has different foods then Moscow, I always miss the goodness here. Plus eating out is super social and it's always good to be social right.

Another thing I have done in the tradition of AZ is hit up Last Chance. This time though was there once a year Christmas in July. LC was as crowded as a Michael Jackson concert. You couldn't really move, there were not enough carts so I was carrying around like 10 jackets because they were 1/2 off (and I keep remembering the cold). After my arms got so tired that I was about ready to throw the coats on the ground and walk away. I used my finely tuned problem solving skills and found a Ralf Lauren Suit Cast that looked badly damaged...I decided it would make a great storage unit. No one was going to buy it, and it could house all my half price coats, so I could search through the half-price sweaters. So I forced all my coats into the suitcase, zipped it up and left it where it was.

Pretty soon I had found 8 sweaters I liked. So I returned to the suitcase, found a bigger suitcase (it was orange) and transferred the coats and placed the sweaters in the new case. All the while trying to be polite, but in my heart was mad that so many people were out and about and the Last Chance. Don't they know I live in Idaho I need the half-price coats and sweaters.

I ended up running into the people I had gone shopping with Amy and Lisa by the suit coats. And I hear Lisa say to Amy, "i told you she was pulling around a suit case or something". Amy asked why i was pulling a big orange suit case around, and i opened up the case and she saw how many coats i had. She said, "No". The line wrapped around half the store so we had a good 20 minutes for me to take out each item one by one, try it on, and have Amy and Lisa say yay or nay. It turns out, I was carrying around most the coats and sweaters around for nothing, because I widdeled down my pile to 1 nice navy coat. 2 sweaters, a hoodie, a red coat, a very nice black suit coat, and a pair of running shoes that i love. All for 75 dollars. It was a good day, and thanks to Amy's wise insight...I didn't break the bank.

Happy Friday...

Olivia and Gibson
I just wanted to tell everyone Happy Friday. And post my favorite picture from this year. I hope where ever you are, you are enjoying good food, friends and possibly some pool time. I am getting excited to head home in a few days here. I have a new nephew (my first) to meet, and obviously need to be spending time with Olivia, my family and all my friends in AZ. I have high hopes of running up Usery Mountain a dozen or so times, so if anyone reading this is in on some early morning desert running (even if it's just on the canal) then let me know.

Anyways Happy Friday.